The Social Dynamics of Liminal Innovation

Authors

Ragnhild Bassøe Gundersen, Department of informaticsFollow
Brian Nicholson, Alliance Manchester Business SchoolFollow
Johan Ivar Sæbø, University of OsloFollow
Petter Nielsen, Department of InformaticsFollow

Abstract

Our purpose in this TREO talk is to describe and explain the complex processes of social dynamics during liminal innovation. Orlikowski & Scott (2021) conceptualize innovation during crisis as liminal innovation. Liminal innovation involves iterative processes of experimentation and implementation during liminality (Ibid.). Liminality is described as a state of betwixt-and-between, of being on the way from something known towards something unknown (Turner, 1969). Although there is a relevant stream of literature in information systems, to date there is less research into the role of social dynamics in liminal innovation. Research in this area is needed because during a crisis there is an urgency requiring rapid decision making but less time to plan. Prior research has shown that established organizational structures may function as an obstacle preventing efficient innovation (Matthewman & Uekusa, 2021). Little is known about how social dynamics may play out in such scenarios to positively able liminal innovation. We draw on Heiskanen et al.'s (2000) explanation of social dynamics as an evolving relationship between actors involved with innovation of an information system. Our research question is “how does social dynamics influence liminal innovation?”. Drawing on the liminal innovation literature and the theory of liminality, we theorize social dynamics in liminal innovation using the conceptual lens of communitas (Turner, 1969). The concept of communitas denotes a strong sense of togetherness and work towards a common goal during liminality (Ibid.). We apply the communitas concept because it is aligned with liminality theory from which the liminal innovation literature originates. Communitas assumes the commencement of a new order during liminality. From a longitudinal interpretive case study of liminal innovation, we provide insights into the social dynamics of the digitalization of a contact tracing system in two Norwegian municipalities. Specifically, we explain how communitas experienced in the software development teams enabled two main themes: (1) how communitas fostered by-passing of organizational structures that impeded innovation and (2) how communitas engaged cross-functional expertise and decision-making. The findings build on Orlikowski and Scott (2021) by contributing novel understanding on the social dynamics of liminal innovation and the role of communitas. Furthermore, our findings display how experiences during liminal innovation can improve social dynamics in complex innovation projects also in non-crisis situations. Our practical contribution challenges top-down approaches to the management of liminal innovation and instead focuses on the importance of social dynamics of communitas. References Heiskanen, A., Newman, M., & Similä, J. (2000). The social dynamics of software development. Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 10, 1–32. Matthewman, S., & Uekusa, S. (2021). Theorizing disaster communitas. Theory and Society, 50, 965–984. Orlikowski, W. J., & Scott, S. V. (2021). Liminal innovation in practice: Understanding the reconfiguration of digital work in crisis. Information and Organization, 31, 100336. Turner, V. (1969). Liminality and Communitas. In The Ritual process: Structure and Anti-Structure. United States: Transaction Publishers.

Paper Number

tpp1364

Recommended Citation

Gundersen, Ragnhild Bassøe; Nicholson, Brian; Sæbø, Johan Ivar; and Nielsen, Petter, "The Social Dynamics of Liminal Innovation" (2024). AMCIS 2024 TREOs. 133.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/treos_amcis2024/133